MAX FACTS GROWING TIPS, NEWS AND TRIVIA
Water Conservation Options
Free, downloadable software developed by USDA scientists and geared towards helping
conservation planners, landowners and researchers better manage agricultural runoff
is now available. The new program provides an improved approach for understanding
where conservation practices could be best applied at farmlands found in agricultural
watersheds across much of the US. The software is called the Agricultural Conservation
Planning Framework (ACPF) and operates within a geographic information system called
ArcGIS that can manage and analyze different types of mapped information. It is
now available through the North Central Region Water Network, which is coordinated
through the University of Wisconsin. The watershed conservation-planning software
helps users identify appropriate locations for implementing a suite of conservation
options in a given watershed. It accommodates wide differences in landscape
topographies and land management, and can be adapted to the conservation
preferences of landowners and operators.
(Source: ars.usda.gov)
Quintessential Quince
Quince is an ancient fruit found mainly in Roman cooking. It is closely related to apples
and pears, but it lacks their immediate edibility and appeal. The ripest, nicest quince will
have a golden tone, but a quince is completely inedible when raw, with its extremely tough and
spongy flesh that is difficult to cut up. So why even bother with these fruits? The first clue a quince
hides something special is its aroma. If you leave a quince on a sunny windowsill, it will slowly
release a delicate fragrance of vanilla, citrus and apple into your kitchen. When you stew it in sugar
and a little water or wine, it becomes not just edible, but delicious. Once the quince is cooked, it’s
soft, tender and creates a really flavorful syrup. Eat the fruit like that, pour it over yogurt, bake it into
a tart, or make a sweet, spicy paste out of it.
(Source: thekitchn.com)
Growing Berries in Containers
Berries are increasing in popularity in the US, and Gary Gao, an
Ohio State University Extension specialist and associate professor
of small fruit crops, is studying how growing berries in containers can
help boost yields. In his two-year research project, Gary will plant some
blackberries, blueberries and raspberries in containers and then move
the containers into a sheltered area such as an unheated barn before
cold temperatures arrive. He will a